5 Reasons Solar Energy Will Power the Future

We are deep into an age of human innovation. New creations are beginning to shape our lives in ways not seen since the industrial revolution. We now carry computers in our pockets and soon might be wearing them on our wrists. Life is constantly being shaped, for better or worse, by the wonders of human invention, and yet we continue to utilize outdated non-renewable energy resources that have a debilitating impact on our environment.

The struggle to achieve clean renewable energy has been one fraught with frustration, from both a technical and political point of view, along with the actual logistics of harnessing energy in a similarly clean fashion. The grasp of the oil and coal industries are so tight on the political spectrum that putting forth long-term plans or legislation that could potentially hurt them is often met with fast and harsh opposition. But the true tragedy of the quest for renewable energy, thus far, has been the simple fact that one of the most viable forms of clean, renewable energy has been right under our noses all along—or I guess I should say above our heads. Solar energy promises to be one of the defining technological leaps of our generation and, despite it’s critics, is finally to the point where it’s ready to be adopted on a large scale. What follows are 5 reasons why solar energy is ready to take hold as the energy source of the future:

1. Dwindling Existing Resources

Perhaps the most pertinent argument in favor of moving away from traditional energy resources lies in the simple fact that resources such as oil and coal are non-renewable. When they are gone, they are truly gone. Crude oil can take millions of years to form, meaning that the likelihood of supply keeping up with demand is quite literally 0%. Humans use nearly 93 million barrels a day as of March of 2014 according to the International Energy Agency. Sunlight on the the other hand is plentiful and will continue to be plentiful long after humankind is gone from this Earth.

2. Cost Effective

Solar energy also provides an extremely affordable alternative to other energy resources. Unlike oil or natural gas, sunlight is readily available to anyone at anytime (nighttime excluded) and even better, it’s free. After the initial investment of installing a solar energy system, whether it’s 25 year panels on the roof or a solar powered water heating system, savings begin to pile up rather quickly. Between using less city- or county-provided electricity and the local tax incentives or rebates that often accompany the installation of a these systems, both residential and industrial structures promise to benefit financially by adopting a solar energy.

One of the early limitations of solar energy was it being not readily available to consumers on a wide scale. Thankfully, that has now changed. Multiple online outlets allow everyday consumers to investigate the realities of having solar panels installed on residential properties without spending an arm and a leg have begun cropping up. As the integration of solar energy into both residential and industrial sectors becomes easier, the mass adoption of the technology promises to get closer and closer.

4. No Emissions

Unlike traditional energy resources, solar energy has the distinct benefit of releasing zero emissions. Even the production of the panels themselves creates surprisingly low carbon dioxide emissions, and even the amount it does create is up to 30 times less than traditional energy resources such as coal.

Solar energy has some unique benefits that are not available to other resources. Solar energy systems can be installed quickly and inexpensively while offering a high reward through yearly energy savings and tax incentives or rebates. This allows the solar industry a leg up as it can expand rapidly through multiple industries in relatively little time. This is not attainable by the oil, coal or natural gas industries as implementation of those systems are not only more expensive, but also more difficult and complicated to install and maintain.

Alicia Hobbes is a freelance blogger who is passionate about the environment, renewable energy, and green initiatives. In her free time she enjoys reading Ann Rice novels and spending time with her family and golden retriever, Calvin.

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